Moa fossil footprints found in New Zealand river

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/112561679/tractor-driver-finds-south-islands-first-moa-footprints-in-otago-river

by oska • 7 years ago

54 7 7 years ago

stuff.co.nz

jdillaaa• 7 years ago

Wow that fossil is huge! And so well preserved... What a cool find.

irrational• 7 years ago

It is amazing that it isn't move worn from water running over it. It looks as distinct as if the bird just made the prints a second ago.

guidedlight• 7 years ago

The article says the prints were likely exposed from land movement about 6 months ago. Given NZ’s landscape is always changing this seems a likely explanation.

nicksantamaria• 7 years ago

These birds were huge. There’s a statue of one in Queenstown - worth a look if you are there. https://www.google.com/search?q=moa+queenstown&rlz=1CDGOYI_e...

cheyne_nz• 7 years ago

There is around 2 dozen moa skeletons on display in the Dunedin museum with a variety of subspecies that are extremely varied. Also well worth a look

lostlogin2• 7 years ago

It’s worth looking up the Haast’s eagle which preyed on moa. That was the most awesome of eagles at 15kgs and a wingspan of up to 3m.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haast%27s_eagle

lostlogin2• 7 years ago

There are recorded interviews with a person who saw one. It was one of the smaller varieties, but still pretty amazing that it was so recent. It makes you wonder which of the soon-to-be-extinct creatures we will be describing in the future.

https://www.ngataonga.org.nz/collections/catalogue/catalogue...

Moa fossil footprints found in New Zealand river

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